Fighting for Family
by MillenniumPrincess
Summary: Emily gets an unexpected visit from her father who disowned her. Displeased with her lifestyle and hateful towards her friends, he wants her to come live with him again. Fearful of their friend being mistreated just as she was in the past, Yugi and the others refuse to let him take her away. Emily knows where she belongs, but her decision alone won't matter in this fight.
1. An Unwanted Guest

An Unwanted Guest

It's nice to have a relaxing day for once. But it can seem a little strange after living a life full of adventure and excitement. But even heroes need to take it easy sometimes. But you never know when something new and exciting is going to happen. But that's why it's called the unexpected; because anything can happen when you least expect it to.

It was Sunday in the afternoon. Emily was sitting in the living room with her calico kitten Avalon cuddled up next to her. The blonde thought it was precious seeing her little friend curled up for a nap. She wondered if Avalon was having happy dreams because she was purring contentedly. Emily sighed, gently rubbed her kitten's ears, and went back to her reading. She was reading _Oliver Twist_ by Charles Dickens.

Her concentration was broken when she heard knocking on her door. It was unusual because she wasn't expecting any visitors today. Did her neighbors need to borrow some ingredients or tools? She wasn't expecting a delivery either. Then again, sometimes Rafael likes to leave surprise gifts on her doorstep. Emily didn't spend a lot of thinking what it could be. The knocking on her door became a little louder. Finally, she got up, set her book down, and approached the door. When she opened the door, she gasped as she saw an unfriendly figure standing in front of her. It was her father who disowned her: Robert Briar. He was an old man nearing the end of his forties with his brown hair starting to gray. His eyes were the same bright green with a few hints of light blue and he was starting to wrinkle a bit as age was starting to be unkind towards him.

Robert smiled as best as he could, but it looked more like he was showing his teeth than trying to smile. "Hi, Emily. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

Emily agreed that it had been so long since she last saw her father, but she couldn't bring herself to give a proper greeting. "Would you like to come inside?" she offered as she moved aside from him.

Robert invited himself inside and looked around. "It's not too bad," he told her. "You got a nice place and good furnishings."

Emily scooped Avalon into her arms and took her to her bedroom. She remembered that her father was allergic to cats and his sinuses would act up around them. She promised her friend that everything would be all right and asked her to stay in the room. When Emily returned to the living room, she went to prepare some tea. "Please, have a seat," she insisted. "Make yourself comfortable."

So Robert sat down on the couch and took notice of Emily's book. He remembered reading Charles Dickens' books when he was her age. "So how've you been doing, Em?"

Not that she wasn't paying attention to his questions and she wasn't trying to change the subject, but she was curious and needed to ask, "How did you find me?"

"Well, I got to tell you, it wasn't easy," he admitted. "The latest Duel Monsters tournament was broadcasted all over the world and when I saw that you were a competitor, I decided to find you. I was driving around the city like a lunatic because I didn't know how to find you. But someone told me you lived near a game shop and now, here we are."

Emily didn't think it would come to this. Her father didn't like the Duel Monsters card game and would never watch the duels on television. But who would have thought her competing would attract her father's attention? She came back with some tea for herself and cold water for her guest. "So that's it?" she asked. "That's why you came all this way looking for me?"

Robert chuckled and replied, "Well, yeah, I mean, I'm your dad."

What a typical response. That was pretty much his answer to everything. And it wasn't even a legitimate or reasonable answer. "Whatever," Emily muttered.

Robert stopped smiling. "I've really missed you, Em."

Emily said nothing. She just looked at her father directly. Actually, she was trying to look in his heart to find out if he was telling the truth. Robert was always a difficult man to figure out. He had an ill sense of humor and would talk dirty while trying to be funny, he called her crude names, he hardly expressed his emotions, he barely showed appreciation or affection, and he was very controlling. But Emily did know this much: Robert was weak in body and soul. He was never the kind of man who knew how to take care of himself no matter how independent he was. He was a lone wolf who liked everything his way and that was why he was sick physically and mentally.

When Robert didn't hear anything from his daughter, he wasn't surprised. It was always difficult for him to get anything out of her. To Robert, talking to Emily was like pulling teeth. "So that's what I get after all this time. After all these years of not being able to see or speak to each other-,"

"I don't know what you want me to say," Emily interrupted.

"Just tell me how you're doing," Robert suggested. "How's school? Are you working? Do you have a boyfriend?"

Emily was really irritated with all of Robert's questions. Why should her life be his business after he disowned her? Finally, she figured, "Maybe we should start from the very beginning."

"You mean like why you left?"

"I left because you told me to," she retorted. "You said if I didn't like things your way, then I should just pack up and leave."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you actually would," said Robert.

"You still signed the papers and surrendered me," continued Emily. "After that, I packed up, left, and used the money Mom left me to buy a house of my own."

"Why'd you come back to Domino of all places," Robert wondered.

Emily thought he would know the answer to that. It was the last place she lived before her mother died and it was where her friends lived. After moving in with her father, Emily would write to Téa and Yugi once every week to let them know how she was doing and she would always promise them that she would return someday. They were her friends and she loved them. "I wanted to return to everything I left behind," she answered. "When I did, I finally felt like I belonged somewhere with someone. I was home again with Téa and Yugi and the rest of my friends."

When Robert heard her mention Yugi's name, he was disgusted. The first time Robert met Yugi was when he came to visit his daughter and ex-wife to celebrate Emily's birthday. Even though they were divorced, Robert wouldn't let that stop him from visiting his daughter because he loved her and deserved to be a part of every special occasion. Robert didn't know what to make of Yugi and thought he was a shabby kid trying to be a delinquent. But Emily and her mother would try to assure him that Yugi was a good friend and a nice kid.

Finally, Robert broke the silence and said, "You wanted to come back here because of him."

Emily frowned. "I don't care what you say or think about my friends."

"I don't want you near that boy."

"I love Yugi," Emily told her father. "I always have and nothing's going to change that. If you could just get to know him and give him a chance, you could understand-"

"It's not my job to understand," Robert interrupted.

"You know, that's one of the reasons why I left," Emily was telling him. "You didn't take time trying to get to know me and you didn't want to understand me. Maybe if you tried, things wouldn't be so difficult between us like they were with you and Mom."

As Robert was listening to his daughter, he began thinking about the time his ex-wife packed up, took their daughter, and left. They fought a lot deciding how to manage things at home and how to look after their daughter. Finally, Rachel was fed up and decided she wasn't going to stay with someone who was so controlling. She valued her independence and wanted the same thing for her daughter; to have a sense of freedom and security. "You know, Emily, when you left, you reminded me of how your mother left me. I didn't want the last thing that happened between you and me to end up like it did with me and your mom. And you know, maybe you're right. I could have been a better husband and a better father, but your mom had her share of difficulties too."

"I know," Emily was saying. "But Mom loved you. She just couldn't be around you. And after being away from you for so long, I think I might understand how she would have felt and what she was going through." To explain what she means, Emily tells her father, "I love you, but it hurts to be around you. I can't be near you because I don't feel safe around you. I could never be myself around you. But I can't be away from you either because I worry about you because you don't do anything to take proper care of yourself. I try to help, but you don't want my help. You push me away."

"It's not your job to worry about me," Robert debated. "It's my job to be concerned about you."

"But when you get concerned, you want to take control of the situation without giving me a chance to try. You've always been that way whenever it came to school, home, leisure, anything."

This time, Robert said nothing for a while. Finally, he spoke and said, "I want you to come live with me again."

"I'm not going back with you," Emily protested. "I have a life here. I love my school, my job, my home, my friends, everything. And I won't give it up for you." Robert rose from the chair and got to his feet. He reached out to Emily, but she slapped his hand back. Robert tried a more aggressive approach by grabbing Emily by her hair and pulling it. Emily let out a painful cry and grabbed her father by the arm. As she tried to make him lose his grip, her hand began to heat up and she ended up burning Robert's arm.

Robert yelped in pain and finally let go. There was a burn mark around his wrist. He hadn't had a burn this severe since he was a kid and got his hand pressed against a hot stove as punishment from his parents. He faced Emily and asked, "What was that?"

"Oh, no," Emily gasped, seeing the burn on her father's wrist. Now that she had exposed her magic powers before him, she had to remedy the situation. Carefully, she stretched her arm out towards her father's. "You have to trust me." Reluctantly, he stretches his arm out towards her. Emily places her hand over the burn and begins to use a spell called Remedy; a water-based spell used to cure poisonings and heal burns. Her eyes glow into a bright blue color and so does her arm. Robert feels chilling pulses and waves as the burn begins to fade.

The burn is gone, but a little bit of pain still lingers. "How did you do that?" Robert demanded.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Emily replied. Then she heard knocking on her door. She answered it and saw Yugi standing on her doorstep.

"Hey, is everything okay?" He asked her. "I heard yelling and wondered what was going on."

"Everything's fine," she lied. She didn't want to alarm Yugi, but she had a feeling he would be shocked enough to know that her father was here. "We were just talking." She turned around and revealed her father. "You remember my dad, right, Yugi? He came by to visit."

Yugi did remember. "It's nice to see you again, Mr. Briar."

Robert didn't return the gesture. He got up and approached the door. "We're not finished. I'll be back," he said to his daughter. He turned to Yugi and told him, "As for you, young man, stay away from my daughter."

"What's going on?" Yugi wondered.

"Emily is my daughter," Robert was saying. "She's coming back to live with me." And with that, he went to his car and drove off.

Emily gasped hearing him say that. Now her father would stop at nothing to take her back.


	2. The Fight

The Fight

That afternoon, Yugi and his friends gathered together to talk about what happened. Emily told them all that her father had arrived into town and now wants to take her back. "You won't let him take me, will you," she asked desperately.

"Not a chance," said Joey. "We're not going to give you up without a fight."

"What's that guy's problem anyway?" Tristan asked. "He disowns Emily and now he drags himself all the way out her to take her back? I mean, he hasn't had any contact with Emily in, what? Five years? Now suddenly, he wants to be her dad again?"

"He may have disowned Emily, but he's still her dad by blood," said Duke.

"But he was never much of a father to her," Téa was saying. She still had some of the letters Emily wrote to her and most of them described how much he mistreated her. Yugi still had some of the letters too.

Joey seemed to understand more about the situation Emily was in. He didn't have much of a father either and went through hell growing up. That gave him the feeling that Emily would go through the same hell if her father took her back. She would lose her freedom, her independence, her security, and be forced to change into something she's not. She left her father and returned to Domino to have a better life for herself and not have to turn into the kind of person he was. This was a fight he was not going to back out of and he was not going to leave his friend to face it alone.

Yugi spoke up and said, "I heard you guys yelling. Were you fighting?"

Emily nods. "He grabbed me and was about to drag me outside. I lost it and my powers got out of control and I hurt him."

"Say what?" Joey asked.

"I couldn't control it," she explained. "My anger started to build up when he said he wanted to take me back and I lost it when he grabbed me. But I didn't mean for it to happen, but because it happened, I had to heal him."

"And he has no idea what happened," Tristan asked.

"He seemed pretty freaked out," Emily replied. "But he didn't spend a lot of time fretting about it. He's still going to try to get me to come back with him."

"That's a little weird of him," said Joey. "He wants you back concerning the thought you used magic to heal him. I thought he'd have the impression: 'my daughter's a mutant freak with magic powers, I don't want that.'"

Emily sighed. "Yeah, I guess now that that secret slipped, he's going to have to know."

"You didn't tell him," Duke asked.

"He wouldn't have believed me if I explained," Emily replied. "What could I have told him? 'I'm happy here with my friends and my job and, oh, by the way, I found out I'm a princess with magical powers.'" She sighed and told them, "Not everybody has to know that about me, you know." That was true. Emily had plenty of friends who didn't know those details such as her bosses from work and all the other kids at school and even some of the friends she made on her past adventures with the gang.

She sits down with her cheeks in her hands. "He was never able to love or appreciate me for just being me. He still won't if he takes me back. He'll continue to nag me and try to make me change into something I'm not." Thinking about it made her start to cry. "He'll come back tomorrow. I don't know what to do."

Téa sits next to her to comfort her. "We'll think of something. We're not going to let him take you away from us."

"Thank you all," Emily sobbed.

After their discussion, the gang decided to head out to think of a plan to keep Robert from taking Emily back. The blonde girl decided she needed to be alone for a little while, so she fed Avalon, locked up the house and left to take a walk in the park. As she was walking, a motorcycle stopped next to her. The rider got off and removed his helmet. It was Rafael. "Hey, Emily."

"Hi, Rafael," she said quietly.

Noticing the distressed look on her face, he asked her, "Are you okay? You look troubled."

She sighed and replied, "It's complicated."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He wondered. Seeing her nod, he parks his motorcycle and together, they sit down near the fountain.

It didn't take long for Emily to explain her problem to Rafael. She told him how her father unexpectedly dropped by and said he wanted her to come home with him and things got aggressive between them. "I can't go back with him, Rafael. I don't feel safe around him."

"Your father's an idiot for going through all this trouble," Rafael told her. "He was never much of a dad to you and he's trying to take you back when you're legally old enough to live on your own." She nods in agreement. He places his hand over her cheek and promises her, "Emily, listen, we'll get through this together. I'm not going to let him take you."

"That means a lot to me," she said sincerely.

Rafael looks directly into her eyes and says truthfully, "I would _never_ let anything happen to you. You know that, right?" Emily did know and that was why she appreciated Rafael being here for her to help her in this fight.

Unbeknownst to the two blue-eyed blondes, Robert was in the park and he didn't like what he was seeing. He figured if he was going to be staying in town for a few days, he might as well get familiar with the city. He came to the park to have ice cream and relax after dinner and when he saw Rafael caressing Emily, his blood began to boil. He stormed over to the two blondes and demanded to know what was going on. "Emily, who is this?"

Rafael repeated the question right back at the old man. "Who are you?"

"I'm her father, punk," he retorted. "And don't you dare touch her like that," he cried, pulling her away.

"Stop it," Emily cried, trying to break free.

He let her go and raised his voice. "Are all of your friends street punks and thugs? It's no wonder you're such a rebel. You're like a gypsy and you have no place anywhere, so you choose to hang out with a bunch of lowlifes and bums. You're just like your mother."

"You're wrong," Emily yelled.

"But that'll all change once I take you home with me." Robert grabbed Emily by her arm and began dragging her away.

Around the corner, Alister was passing through the shops. When he saw a few familiar faces in the park, he recognized that they were his friends and it looked like they were in trouble. He immediately went to the park to find out what was going on. When he got there, he saw a struggle. Robert and Rafael were trying to pull Emily away from each other. The redhead didn't know what it was about, but he knew he couldn't stand by and watch. He had to break it up. Alister tackled Robert, causing them both to fall in the dirt.

When Emily was free, Rafael told her to escape. She nods and begins running. Robert tried to get up and pursue her, but Alister kept holding him down until Emily was out of sight. When she was gone, Robert got back up and looked around. "Emily," he called out.

"Leave her alone and get out of here," Rafael told him.

"I won't do that," Robert protested, "she's my daughter."

"She's not yours anymore," Rafael argued. "You disowned her."

"She's coming with me!"

"She's staying here with us!"

Alister gets up and rubs his arms. "You're Emily's dad," he asked Robert. "What are you doing here?"

When Robert looked at Alister, his disgust grew. "Don't tell me you're her friend too. How nauseating. What are you, some kind of whore she met at a bar?"

Alister was outraged. As much as he didn't take kindly to hearing people speak ill of himself and his friends, Alister also didn't take kindly to being mistaken for a girl. "I am nothing of the sort. I'm actually a man, for your information." To Robert, this was even worse than disgusting; a man coming before him looking like a girl with the hair and the clothes revealing his slender features.

"As for you," continued Alister to Robert, "I don't care who you are. You can't just come here acting like you want to be Emily's father; let alone pretending to be her father."

"I don't have to pretend to be what I am," Robert argued.

"You can't take the place of Emily's real father," Rafael protested.

Robert raises his voice and shouts, "I _am_ Emily's real father!"

Emily didn't really leave. She hid beside the fountain and listened to their fighting. In many ways, that last statement was true. Robert was Emily's real father, and yet, he wasn't. "I already have a father," she silently whispered.

Rafael and Alister continued to try to reason with Robert. "If you are her dad, then act like it and show it," said Alister. "If you really want what's best for Emily, then you'll let her stay here with us."

Rafael agreed. "It's not right to take her away from the people she loves. It's not even fair to take her from the people who love her."

Robert growled and said again, "I am her father and I will decide what's right for her."

"Then let's do it the right way," said Emily's voice. She left the fountain and approached the men. "A court order was filed when you legally surrendered me. If you want me back, take it up with the judges."

"We'll be there," said Rafael. Alister nodded in agreement.

"You guys?"

"All of us will be present," said the redhead. "Because Emily is our friend and we love her."

"That's right," said Emily. "My friends and I all look out for each other like a family."

"And Emily is part of our family too. That's why we're going to help her win this fight," Rafael finished.

Robert saw that there was no point in dragging this out any further and there really was only one way to settle it. "Well, in that case, I'll see you and you 'family' in court." And with that, he began leaving the park. Knowing the dangers he pose, the blonde and the redhead agreed that it wouldn't be safe to let Emily go home on her own. So they escorted her back to her house.


	3. First Trial

First Trial

The first case was set underway the following day. Emily and her father stood opposite from each other in the courtroom before Judge Louise McBride. As promised, all of Emily's friends came as witnesses to support her.

The judge spoke up. "In this case, Robert Jonathan Briar stands before us wanting legal custody of his daughter Emily Alice Briar. Is this true?"

Robert spoke up. "Yes, Your Honor."

"If I may, Mr. Briar, I am told that you legally surrendered ownership of your daughter. Do you have the documents?" Robert pulls out his case and shows the judge the documents stating that he legally disowned his daughter more than five years ago. After reading the contents, Louise asks, "Mr. Briar, why would you want to regain custody of your daughter after disowning her?"

"I was wrong, Your Honor," Robert explained. "You see, Emily wasn't adjusting so well when she came to live me. I guess it was because of the drastic change in her life when my ex-wife died and I had to take Emily in. We fought and argued a lot and when I got fed up with it, I suggested that she should leave. But I didn't really want her to."

"Then why did you sign the documents?" the judge wondered.

"She wanted to leave," Robert replied. "So I signed the papers and she left." He stops for a minute and sighs. "But there hasn't been a moment when I didn't think about her. I spent many nights wishing that night never happened. But you have to understand, Your Honor, I'm the only living parent Emily has left. If given the chance, I could better myself. I failed as a husband and I can't set things straight with my ex-wife since she's dead. I don't want to fail as a father and lose my prized possession."

Emily found that last statement to be disgusting. He was talking like she was a collectable. Even her friends didn't like that last statement.

"What I'm trying to say is, Your Honor," continued Robert, "I just want my daughter back."

Joey couldn't stand it anymore. He spoke up and asked, "Why? So you can abuse her some more?"

Robert was about to protest, but the judge pounded her gavel declared order in the courtroom. When it becomes silent again, Louise turns her attention to Joey and inquires, "And who are you, young man?"

Joey chuckles and says, "Well, I thought you might recognize me as one of the top-ranked duelists in the world, but more importantly, my name is Joey and I'm Emily's friend. Every one of us is and we're here to help her."

"And are you all against Emily going back with her father?" the judge asked.

"You bet we are," Joey replied.

"Because you claim Emily was abused by her father," the judge retorted. "Enlighten me, Joey. Have you and your friends ever seen Mr. Briar discipline his daughter in a cruel way?" Joey shook his head. Louise continued and asked, "Have any of you ever seen him hit his daughter?" When Joey replied 'no' again, Louise asked, "Then how did you know she was abused?"

This time, Emily spoke up, "Because I told my friends about the cruel treatment I received from my father." She explained her side of the argument claiming that it was true that her mother's death took an emotional toll on Emily; forcing her to leave everything she knew behind and to start a new life with her dad. It was hard for her to adjust with her new school because she was still hurt as well as scared and lonely. Therefore she was an easy target to bullies. Because Emily often came to school with eyes red from crying, a lot of the students thought she was sick and they treated her like she had brought in the plague. Emily had objects thrown at her, she had some of her things taken from her, and kids would often push her or hit her or say hurtful things.

The reason why Robert didn't know Emily faced such cruelty at school was because she never told him. It also seemed to show that he cared mostly about her progress at school. Emily wasn't lazy or unintelligent. She was still struggling emotionally as well as socially. Her dad didn't seem to pay any mind to her hurt emotions and it got worse as he was strict on her and often took her toys and games and personal belongings. He even threatened to cut off an inch of her hair if she didn't get a passing grade at school.

Robert wasn't home most of the time because he had to work extra hours now that his daughter had moved in with him. The wages weren't good because Robert worked as a waiter and didn't make a lot of money to even support himself. And it was because Robert was a waiter that he didn't like letting food go to waste and instead of asking Emily what kinds of foods she liked or didn't like, he served her whatever was on the plate and wouldn't let her leave the table until every last morsel had been consumed.

In truth, it wasn't that Robert was cruel to Emily. He just wasn't capable of taking care of her. She often told the teachers and counselors at school about her predicament. Robert didn't appreciate that because he received phone calls from doctors and social workers wanting to investigate on the living ways Robert was accustomed to and adjusting Emily to. That was when it all went downhill and Robert suggested that if Emily didn't like living with him, she should just leave. So Emily decided she wanted to leave and Robert legally disowned her and she left and returned to Domino to pick up where she left off and well as try to have a better life.

When Emily finished her story, Louise found it intriguing and wondered how the blonde girl managed her hardships. Well, as her mother's firstborn, Emily was left with a large quantity of money and she used it to buy a house. Then she got a job so she could pay to go to school as well as provide for herself.

"You managed all on your own?" Louise asked Emily. The blonde girl nods. "And you've had help from no one else?"

"Not necessarily, Your Honor. All of my friends have been here to support me and help me through." She turns around and smiles at every one of them. "And for that, I'm thankful for every one of them. My dad, on the other hand, didn't have a lot of faith in me or think I could do anything. He even said it in my face that I would just turn into a kid on the streets and do nothing but work as a fry cook for the rest of my life. Well, I'm actually doing very well, Your Honor. I have a good job as a baker in town, I've got insurance so I can see a doctor and stay healthy, I stay in school to get an education, and above all, I don't have to face it alone because I've got all of my friends. They promised they would always be here for me and I promised the same thing for them."

Joey spoke up again. "And it hasn't been broken yet." When Judge Louise looks at Joey, he clears his throat and says, "Your Honor, I may not know Emily's dad very well, but I can relate to my friend. My parents got divorced when I was a kid. My mom took my sister and left me with my dad and let me tell you, every day was a nightmare for me. I had to put up with his drunken rage and verbal abuse every day. Yeah, I could have run away, I could have told the cops, I could have been sent to a foster home. But you know what? I fought on because I wanted to become a better person than what my parents were. Maybe I do have a harsh street background and I am a fighter, but I remember to fight for the right reasons and for the right people. And in this fight, I'm not going let my friend go through the same hell I did when I was growing up."

This time, Kaiba spoke up and said, "Besides, this man doesn't deserve to take his daughter back. He wasn't even capable of taking care of her to begin with. He has no health insurance of any kind and has never taken his daughter to see a doctor since she moved in with him." Kaiba faces Robert and asks him, "How do you expect to take care of your own daughter when you don't even know how to take care of yourself?"

"We've never needed to see a doctor for any reason," Robert protested. "And she's my daughter. I don't need to be told how to raise my own child."

"Apparently, you do," Kaiba argued. "And actually, she's doing a lot better without you. In fact, she's doing a lot better than you are. If you ask me, disowning her was the smartest choice you ever made."

Robert sighs with frustration. He faces the judge and asks her, "Do we have to listen to this?"

Judge Louise agrees and asks Kaiba, "Excuse me, sir, but how is your argument relevant to this?"

Kaiba was about to make his point. "Because like my friend Emily here, I've grown up without much of a family also and so have the rest of our friends. But despite our struggles, we kept fighting on to get stronger and to make sure we would have better lives. Now, I don't have parents, but I do have a brother who looks up to me. I've taken care of him since birth and I still make sure he stays healthy and gets a good education. And believe me, I know what it's like to have been raised by someone cruel and abusive; someone who would never show heart or understanding. And like my friend Mr. Wheeler, I'm not willing to let Emily live with someone who'll mistreat her just as I was."

"None of us are," said Yugi. "We became a family though each other. And Emily found her family through us. And our family wouldn't be complete without each other. We fear that if her dad takes her back, he won't be any better than he was before."

"She doesn't belong with him, Your Honor," Téa pleaded. "She belongs with us."

Before Judge Louise can say anything, she focuses her attention on Emily, wanting her opinion. The blonde faces the judge and says, "I'm more happy and adjusted than I was when I started living with my dad. I have a stronger sense of freedom and security. I actually belong somewhere with someone. To go back with my dad would mean starting the same thing all over again like when my mom died."

After hearing both sides of the claim, Louise decided that she would need some time to make a decision. So the court was adjourned stating that another hearing would be scheduled tomorrow.


	4. Who Loves Her More?

Who Loves Her More?

When everyone was dismissed from the courtroom, they all decided to head out for lunch. Some of them were unsure about tomorrow's hearing, but they all tried to keep calm. Until then, Robert and Emily weren't allowed to have any contact with each other. To try and put their minds at ease about the situation, Kaiba decided to treat his friends to soft ice cream at his home. When he saw Robert leaving the courtroom, he told his friends to meet him at his limo.

The brunette walked up to Robert and told him, "Stop wasting your time. This is a fight you can't win. She's not going back with you."

"That remains to be said at tomorrow's hearing," said the old man. "And just because you're a rich spoiled brat doesn't mean you'll convince the judge to agree to your claim."

Kaiba stood up straight and glared at Robert. "Listen, Pops, I don't have to make the judge an offer she can't refuse when it comes to what's best for someone I care about. I don't care if you're Emily's father or not. I have no patience for bullies and I will not stand to let my friend get pushed around. If you do anything to hurt Emily or the rest of my friends, you will answer to me."

"I'm not afraid of you, young man," Robert lied.

"Then why do I sense fear in your eyes?" Kaiba tested. A drop of sweat even went down from Robert's brow. "That's what I thought," the brunette said and walked away. When he saw the bikers just standing at the door, he said to them, "We're all going to go get ice cream. You want to come?"

"I'm game," said Valon.

"Count me in," Alister added.

"What about you, Rafael," Kaiba asked.

The blonde looked at Robert and said, "I'll… I'll catch up with you."

Seeing his friend look troubled, the redhead faces Kaiba and suggests, "On second thought, Kaiba, why don't you go on ahead and we'll meet you at your place?"

"Are you sure," the brunette asked. When Alister nodded, Kaiba told him, "All right. I'll meet you back home." And he left and went to his limo.

Rafael wanted to consider approaching Robert to talk to talk to him, but he started to decide against it. Would it be worth it after what happened yesterday?

Valon tried to be optimistic. "You don't have to worry about a thing, mate. Nothing's going to happen to Emily. She's staying right here with us."

But that wasn't the only thing on the blonde's mind. Her dad was here. Rafael could reveal to Robert that he was in love with his daughter and ask for his approval to take her as his wife. But would anything good come from it?

As if Alister could understand his friend's thoughts, he told him to forget it. "Raf, I know what you're thinking, but don't. He won't let her go, let alone listen to what any of us have to say. There's no point in talking to him."

Rafael appreciated his friend's concern, but something inside his heart told him he had to try. He grinned and asked his friends to trust him. So Rafael gathered his courage and approached Emily's dad. "Ahem, um, where are you off to?"

Robert picked up his case and replied, "I'm just going to stop by in town to get lunch. Then I'll head back to the hotel and rest up."

"Would it be all right if I accompanied you?"

Robert wasn't sure what this was about, but he kindly accepted Rafael's offer and they went out to the nearest diner to have lunch. As they idly conversed, Rafael apologized for his behavior and Robert did the same thing. He wasn't used to seeing guys around his daughter.

"I should probably say this, but I can be pretty aggressive sometimes because my parents were strict on me when I was a kid. I needed to have control over my own life for once and I guess that was what messed things up pretty good between me and my family. My ex and I fought and argued a lot on what was best for us. Rachel wanted her way and I wanted mine. We weren't able to work things out, so she just packed up, took Emily, and left me. Now I admit I wasn't much of a husband to her, but Rachel made some selfish choices of her own too. But I still loved her and tried to reconnect with her."

"I'm sure she still loved you too because she let you be a part of your daughter's life," Rafael wondered.

"True, but I wasn't a supportive husband to her. And I know I wasn't a supportive father to Emily either. But that's why I want her back; to have a second chance before I just might lose her forever. I don't want things between me and Emily to end like they did with me and Rachel."

"You really care a lot about her, don't you?" Rafael asked Robert.

"Of course I do," he replied. "I'm her dad." Robert stopped grinning and said, "But I guess you guys care about her too. That's why you all came for her."

"Each of us meant what we said. We all love her." The blonde looks down and adds, "I love her. And if given the chance, I could ask for your approval."

"What do you mean?"

"Since the day I met Emily, I've been in love with her," Rafael answered. "And someday, I hope for us to get married. But since you're her dad, I think you deserve a say in the matter."

Robert did deserve a say in the matter. But he didn't know Rafael very well and another matter that had to be taken into account was that he remembered that Emily was already in love with Yugi. But before Robert could say anything, he needed to know what kind of person Rafael was. So the old man asked the blonde to fill him in with all the details about how he and Emily met.

Rafael didn't want to explain the whole truth to Robert and reveal that he worked for an evil organization that almost threatened to destroy the entire world. So he stretched the truth a little and said he worked for a private company and he invited Emily to show him what he did for work.

As the story progressed, one of the scenes from the past began to play out before his mind. It was back in Paradius Headquarters. After the guys helped Emily to finish reconstructing her Duel Monsters deck, Rafael took her to the roof of the building where they could relax and talk.

"Wow, what a day," Emily said, laughing. "Coming here and hanging out with you and your friends. I actually enjoyed all of this."

"Really? Me too," Rafael said. He chuckled nervously and asked, "Well, do you like me?"

"Of course I like you," Emily replied, "and Alister and Valon too."

"No, I mean," Rafael stammered. "I mean, do you find me… attractive?"

At first, Emily thought Rafael was trying to be funny, but then she wondered if he was trying to hit on her. "You know, if you want a girl to like you, then you've got a lot to learn on how to make an impression."

"You're right," the blonde lad said in agreement. "That was stupid of me." When they sat down, he asked another dumb question. "Princess Emily, if I were to kiss you-, I mean, press my lips against yours-, would you consider that harassment or would you give your willing consent?"

The expression Emily had on her face read, _"Is he serious? We hardly know each other."_ For that matter, she had to tell the truth. "Honestly, I'd consider it harassment."

Rafael respected her response. "Okay, okay. I'm just asking." He sighed of frustration and placed his palm against his face. _Why am I being so stupid? I want her to like me._

"However," Emily was saying, "you have been pretty kind to me and you haven't done anything to hurt me yet. So I guess for now, I can take you as my friend."

Rafael's frustration quickly faded as he heard Emily say that. _She thinks of me as her friend. Yes! We're off to a good start_. In excitement, he turned away from her and clenched his fists. He quickly relaxed, cleared his throat and refocused his attention on her. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry," said Emily. "I'm used to guys wooing me and trying to make an impression."

"Well, who wouldn't," Rafael asked. "You're everything a guy could ever want. You're beautiful and-"

"And in the end, that's all that matters to them," Emily interrupted.

Rafael knew he had to find a way to tell her there's was something else to love her for. That was the point of this. He had to let her know that beauty wasn't the only thing that mattered to him. "Not to me," he protested. That got Emily's attention. "I think you're like an angel. You're kind and good. You have a gentle voice and a gentle personality. Really, you're perfect."

The blonde girl sighs and tells him, "It's nice that you think that about me, but really, I'm not. Nobody's perfect. Even I have flaws and fears." It was true. Emily was afraid of the dark, needles and knives scared her, she had a tendency to faint at the sight of blood, even the creature from the film _Alien_ gave her nightmares. And in truth, Emily wasn't always all kindness and generosity. Even she had a temper and would lose it and say hurtful things. But in the end, she would set things right with the people she hurt.

"I don't have a problem with being different from everyone else, because I'm still like everyone else," continued Emily. "I have just as much humanity as anyone else and am able to show it. I can express my feelings in every possible way. I have a job and go to school like everyone else. My life may not be normal or perfect, but it is what it is and I'm able to make the most of it every day at a time. I can't think about the bad because I have faith that something good will come from it in the end." She paused for a minute, then added, "I'm not ashamed of who I am today, but when I was young, I didn't mind being different from anyone else, but I still wanted to be a little like everyone else."

As Rafael listened to what he was hearing, he stood by his opinion that Emily was perfect and flawless not in physical beauty, but for having such a kind and steady heart. But after that last statement, he scoffed and wondered, "You wanted to be spiteful and dishonest?"

"Everybody's not like that," Emily protested.

"Yes, they are," Rafael argued.

"You're not like that."

"How do you know what I'm like?"

"I know this much," Emily was saying, "You're faithful and devoted to the people you care about. And though you've been sad and alone for so long after the tragedy that befell you, there's a spark of light that's slowly starting to illuminate like all the good is coming to you. And in the end, it's what will lead you to make the right choices as your life goes on."

Rafael was surprised that she would know that about him. "That's… that's amazing. How can you tell that?"

"I have the power to look inside a person's heart and see their truth," the blonde girl answered. "You're a good person, Rafael, and you have a good heart just like Valon and Alister." Emily could also see that Rafael really did have tender feelings for her, but she wasn't sure if she could warm up to that matter yet.

 _It's strange_ , Rafael wondered. _I've been alone most of my life. I thought it would be better that way because when you're alone, no one can hurt you or walk out on you. And you can't do it to them either. But, Emily, she… she's different. I don't feel that way about her._ Rafael places his hand over hers and confesses, "Princess, when I'm with you, I don't feel so… alone."

"You don't have to feel that way when you have friends," she tells him. Then she started thinking about everyone else back home. Then she got an idea. "Hey, Rafael, I was wondering," she places her hands behind her back and taps her foot. "Maybe when this is over, you, Valon, and Alister could come back with me to Domino. It could be your new home. You guys could leave everything behind and begin a new life."

Rafael liked that idea and figured his friends would too. But just as she mentioned her flaws, he had to be honest with her about everything. He clears his throat and begins by saying, "Princess Emily, I'm… I'm not the person you think I am." He gulps and adds, "But I want to be more than anything."

Although Emily was able to see Rafael's truth on what kind of person he really was, there were certain facts that were kept secret from her like ambitions and ideals and motives. And she could certainly tell that Rafael was keeping something from her. "Rafael, tell me the truth," she demanded. But the blonde lad was never able to because he heard that his presence was requested for a meeting. But he promised he would tell her everything.

And that was where the story came to an end. "I was going to tell her that I wanted to go back with her to Domino. And here we are now."

"That's quite a story," said Robert. "You know, you seem like a nice guy; smart and handsome. And you seem to have a nice job too. I think you'd make a suitable husband for my daughter."

Rafael's smile brightened up. "You mean it?"

"Sure, but I'd have to hear what my daughter has to say about the thought of marrying you. You guys are friends, but I think I'd need to hear her opinion."

"Fair enough," Rafael said in agreement. Emily's dad was about to leave until the blonde lad said, "Hey, Robert." The old man stopped to listen to him. "I sincerely hope tomorrow's hearing will bring good results."

Robert sighed and returned the gesture. "So do I. Thanks for lunch," he said and went on his way to his car. Rafael paid the bill and hurried to rejoin his friends.


	5. The Judge's Order

The Judge's Order

The next day, the group met up at the courthouse waiting for the hearing to take place. Judge Louise stepped out of her office. "Emily, would it be all right if I talked to you for a while?" Emily got up and walked through the door. "We won't be long," the judge promised everyone. She closed the door and went to her desk.

"Sit down, please," she politely demanded. Emily sat down across from her. "How are you feeling today, Emily?"

"Honestly, I'm really nervous about the results," the blonde replied.

"Are you afraid I'm going to let your father take you back," the judge asked. Emily nodded. "In truth, I want it to be based upon your decision. You're legally old enough to live on your own and you don't need custody. But I need to ask you a few questions."

"Certainly," said Emily.

"When you were still living with your father, was it true that you weren't adjusting too well?"

"Yes, Your Honor. I was still suffering from an emotional breakdown and wasn't too adaptable at the time to my dad's customs. It often got in my way at school and I was struggling to adjust there as well."

"What were things like for you at home?" the judge wondered.

"Well, my dad wasn't really trying to make me feel at home. He didn't ask me what kinds of foods I liked or disliked and he wouldn't let me leave until I consumed every last morsel. He was very demanding about my physical appearance and always wanted me to cut my hair to his liking. He seemed to care more about how I was doing at school academically and socially because when I tried making friends and wanted to spend time with them, he wouldn't let me invite anyone over to play or even let me visit anyone."

Much of that was already covered at yesterday's hearing, but Louise didn't mind if Emily elaborated on the matter a little more. "Has your father ever abused you in any way?"

"Sometimes, yes, physically and emotionally," Emily answered. "He took a book and beat me in the head with it when he was disappointed with my low grades. He would say terrible things about my mother and friends that weren't true like my friends would just take advantage of me and my mom was on drugs and had mental problems."

"Do you remember what kind of person your mother was like?"

"She worked hard, but she remembered to spend time with me and make sure I was happy and healthy. She had a short temper and would often lose it, but she also had a big heart and would always set things straight. She was very faithful and supportive. Often at night, I would hear her praying, I've seen her cry whenever she was scared, hurt, confused, happy, or sad."

"Why would your father think your mother was on drugs or mentally ill?"

"They fought a lot when I was little," Emily explained. "I don't remember why. But when Mom had enough, she took me and left. A few years later, she met and married another man. Now, my mom wasn't adulterous and she wasn't having any affairs. I'm sure she was happy being married, but I think she valued her independence and freedom as much. And I think she wanted that for me. It may sound strange of me to say this and I could be wrong, but maybe Mom knew Dad wouldn't understand me or even love me for me. Maybe she knew he would be like this."

"Are you saying your mother took you and left your father as an act of protection?" Louise asked.

"I guess," the blonde replied. "And at yesterday's hearing, when Dad said I was his prized possession, I thought what he said was disgusting. It sounded to me like he thought I was his pet or doll to take care of however he wanted. And when I told the counselors at school that I wasn't being properly cared for by my dad, I guess he started getting calls from social workers."

"Which reminds me," Louise was saying, "have you ever lived in a foster home before?"

"No, Your Honor."

"Did you have any distant relatives who could take you in?"

"No. I was alone."

"You know, Emily, I was more than intrigued by your story. I think it's a miracle that you were alone and managed to get by at such a young age. And you're doing very well, based on your records. You have a steady job, you're able to attend your classes, you keep up with your payments, you're managing your health well, and you have no history of criminal records."

Emily agreed. "It wasn't easy, but God and His angels were watching over me and with me every day." A tear falls from her eye as she adds, "And so was my mom."

Judge Louise smiles and says, "Well, I'm sure that she'd be proud of you for all that you've accomplished. And I'm sure she'd want you to be happy with whatever you would decide."

The blonde had already made up her mind. "I want to stay right here with my friends. I'm happy and I'm home and I have a real family." She dries her eyes and says, "But I can't neglect my dad. I don't want to live with him, but I'd like for us to visit each other whenever we can."

"I'm sure we can arrange something," the judge promised.

Outside the office, things started to get nerve-wracking. "This is taking too long," Valon complained. "Can't we just get our answer and get it over with?"

"You know it doesn't work that way," Alister reminded him.

"We're all just as anxious as you are," Téa told the brunette.

"I hope Em doesn't have to go back with her dad," Joey prayed.

Bakura sighed and placed his hand over his friend's shoulder. "That's not for us to decide, Joey."

Robert finally showed up. "Where's Emily?" he demanded. "Did the hearing start?"

"She's with the judge," Kaiba told him.

Right on cue, Judge Louise opened the door and Emily stepped outside. "We're ready to see you now, Mr. Briar," the judge told him. Robert looked at his daughter with a hint of sadness and began following the judge.

When they finally stepped inside, Robert had a feeling he knew what was coming. "I guess this is it, isn't it?"

Louise nodded and cleared her throat. "After listening to the claims and reviewing all of your testimonies, I've come to a difficult decision. I know this may come as disappointing news to you, but in the best interest of your daughter, you are denied custody."

Robert knew it would come to this. Rather than protest, he sighed and lowered his head.

"I don't think this would come as any surprise to you," the judge continued. "You weren't capable of taking care of her from the beginning when you knew you weren't taking proper care of yourself to begin with."

"I understand," Robert said, acknowledging the situation.

"Did you know this much when you legally disowned your daughter?"

Robert looked up at the judge and told her, "Look, lady, what's done is done. Emily's not mine anymore. I'm not happy about it."

"Maybe so, but you still have the right to visit her and she you. She's even agreed to keep your last name. However, if there are any reports of violence or abuse related to you concerning Emily, you will be arrested. In the meantime, Mr. Briar, I strongly recommend you monitor your physical and mental health. I know you don't make a lot of money in your field of work, but I'm sure you can find affordable healthcare."

Robert didn't want to agree to Louise's terms and conditions. Healthcare was of little importance to him. But he didn't want to go to jail for inflicting any harm upon Emily. Of course, she would have to cooperate to make sure he wouldn't.

When Judge Louise didn't hear a response, she asked Robert, "Are we clear on the matter?"

Finally, he replied, "Yes, Your Honor." So it was settled. Emily was free from her father once and for all.

He stopped by her house to say 'goodbye'. He slipped her a piece of paper containing his phone number. "Call me sometime. And here's my work schedule so you'll know when I'm available. And here's my address in case you want to come and visit."

"Here's my information too," Emily said and gave him a few notes.

"Hey, Emily," Robert was saying, "Emily, look at me." He sets his hands on her shoulders and looks in her eyes. "No matter what anyone says, you will _always_ be my daughter. Do you understand?"

"I do," she replied. She moves closer and presses her face against his chest and cries as she hugs him.

"And I know I was denied the chance to be your father again. But I'll always be your father," he says as he hugs her in a loving way. He finally lets go and says, "I know you're going to be okay here. You always were."

"I know you don't trust or like any of my friends, but you know deep down, I'm better off here and I belong with them. Even my father would agree that this is best for me."

Robert did know and he did agree. He gave Yugi his attention and told him, "I will never let my daughter be yours. But I will say this: you'd better take care of her. Because if you let anything happen to her, I will come for you."

Yugi tried telling himself that Robert wasn't threatening him. Instead, he was thinking of it as her father putting his faith in him. "I'll always be here for Emily should she need me. And so will the rest of us."

"Good," Robert said and went to his car. He started the engine, but before he could drive off, Emily ran to the car and tapped on the window.

When he lowered the window, Emily said, "Before you leave, I need to know; can you tell me why I was named Emily?"

Robert was silent for a minute, the finally replied, "You were named Emily because when you were born, your mom said she saw a flicker of light in your eyes and knew that wonderful things would be coming our way and yours because you were an angel from above."

When he mentioned seeing a flicker of light, Emily wondered if her mother could see the Millennium Star shard glowing inside of her. But it didn't matter. "Thanks for telling me."

"You're welcome," Robert told her. "You stay out of trouble, Em. And remember, I'll always be your father." And he raised his window and drove off.

Emily watched him drive away and said to herself, "I already have a father. But thank you."


	6. Family

Family

Emily felt tortured by her feelings. She was happy to be free from her dad, but at the same time, she was sad. This was always a complicated situation for her. She loved her dad, but the love she had for him hurt. When she tried looking out for him because she was concerned about his health and well-being, he didn't want her to be. When she tried to let him know she loved him, he didn't believe her and often pushed her aside like he didn't want her love or support. True, he was the parent, but even children have to take care of their parents.

At the same time, Emily felt horrible about the bad things she told Robert, like blaming him for Rachel's death and how she wished it was him instead of her. She had often tried to explain how sorry she was and that it wasn't right or fair of her to say it, but he wouldn't believe her. Now Emily was afraid her dad would die thinking she hated him. And unless he decides to take care of himself for once by seeing a doctor or talking to someone, chances are, he may not be around for long.

At the same time, she was thinking about the last thing they said to each other. Robert would always be her father no matter what, but Emily already had a father. The same thing happened at the fight in the park. Robert was her father, but he could never take the place of her father either.

Thinking about it all made her want to cry. She lied on her bed wishing she could talk to someone about the situation. And she did have someone to talk to. She could feel Queen Mystery in her presence. "I could have said it to him out loud."

"Yet you didn't," the queen told her. "Why not?"

"Because I was afraid of hurting him," she answered. "I didn't want to hurt him any more than I already did. He may not express his feelings, but he still has them and should be treated fairly. I've also been thinking. How can he take the place of my real father when he is my real father? Because he is my father, but at the same time, he's not." She tilts her head up and asks, "Do you understand?"

"I should think so," Mystery answered.

Emily tried to smile, but weakly. "Mother, I'm really glad you're here."

"You know I never left," said the queen. "I've always been with you and so have the rest of us." She sits at the bedside and places her hand over her daughter's shoulder. "You've been without your parents for so long, haven't you?"

"For a long time," Emily answered. "I was very sad and lonely too." Tears fill her eyes again. "But I haven't felt that way since I returned here and made new friends. Then I met you and the pharaoh and I had a mother and a father again; a real mother and a real father. I know you were my real parents in another life, but you still are. Just like the parents I had here were my real parents in this life and they still are too. And do you know what?"

"What," the queen wondered.

Emily softly chuckled and figured, "I'm sure you guys would have been good friends with each other."

"Perhaps we could have been," Mystery said in acknowledgement. "Because you love your father, I can forgive him for his misdeeds. He loves you too. And I would be just as grateful to your mother for taking care of you because she was the mother you needed and deserved. I would tell her how lucky my daughter is to be her daughter too." She chuckles and figures, "Maybe your mother would tell me she was the lucky one."

"You're my mother too," Emily reminded her. "My real mother, just like her. I know you could never replace her and she could never take your place either because you're both my mother. And I could never love one of you more than the other because I love you both just the way you are. What I'm trying to say is, I'm not sad that you're not Rachel. I'm happy that you're Mystery. You're you and Rachel is Rachel. You're both your own person, but you'll always be my mother and she'll always be my mother too."

"That's right," said Mystery. "And your mother and I will always love you. And we will always be with you should you need us."

"Thank you, Mother," Emily said and began crying.

They say that animals are more in tune with the supernatural than humans are. But Avalon couldn't sense another presence in the room. She wondered what it was that her human friend sensed that she couldn't. But the tiny kitten could sense that Emily was in need of comfort, so she jumped on the bed, approached Emily, and nudged her face against hers.

"Thank you, Avalon," Emily sobbed and placed her hand over her friend. The little calico purred and continued to rub herself against Emily.


	7. Ghost of the Past

Ghost of the Past

Robert wouldn't be returning to his home until tomorrow, so he would be spending the night in his hotel room. He tried to sleep, but so many thoughts and voices were ringing though his head about this week's events. He promised Emily that he would always be her dad, but he also thought about what everyone else said. All of Emily's friends told Robert that he could never take the place of her real father. What were they talking about?

Just then, Robert felt a chill in the air. He sat up in his bed when suddenly, he saw a transparent figure that looked like his late ex-wife. He rubbed his eyes and put on his glasses and saw that it was her. Rachel was standing in front of him looking sad with her chocolate brown hair reaching down her waist and round glasses over her brown eyes. Robert yelped and backed away.

"Robert, it's me," the ghost said softly. "In life, I was your wife and Emily's mother: Rachel."

Robert felt like he was going to have a heart attack, but he recognized that it really was his ex-wife. "Rachel? But how can it be? You're dead."

"There is a belief among the living: if you truly love someone who has departed, the love you have for them is enough to keep their spirit alive. If you did not still love me, I would not be here."

It was true. Robert did still love his ex-wife even after their divorce and after her death. He often talked about how he missed her and how he wished he could see her and speak to her. Now she was here in front of him. He was scared out of his wits, but at the same time, he was happy to see her. "Rachel, I... I can't describe how I feel about seeing you right now. There's so much I've wanted to say."

Rachel understood and said she felt the same way. They were both sorry for how things ended between them. But despite their hardships, they still loved each other. A day never went by in their lives when Robert and Rachel didn't think about each other. "It was because I loved you that I knew you deserved to be a part of Emily's life. You were still her dad."

"I always will be," said Robert. "I know I've been selfish a lot in the past, but I thought I could try again at being a father. I wasn't able to try again as a husband after losing you. I didn't want to make the same mistake and lose Emily."

"Well, you certainly blew your chance," Rachel scolded. "Emily was willing to forgive you and give you a chance, but you had to put on the same controlling act you've always shown around us."

Robert sighed with frustration and guilt. "I know, and I shouldn't have. Because I realized that was the same reason she left me like you did."

"Robert, do you know what Emily's friends meant when they said you weren't her real father?"

He scoffed and replied, "Those guys were just being idiots."

"What they said was true," continued Rachel. "Because Yugi-"

Robert raises his voice and protests, "Yugi has nothing to do with any of this!"

"He has a lot to do with it!" Rachel argued. "He's her real father!"

"How can he be her father when they're the same age?"

Rachel eases her voice and calmly explains, "Robert, Yugi and Emily lived a whole other life in the ancient past. He was a pharaoh and she was his daughter. Millennia later, Emily was born as our daughter. The pharaoh came back too after his spirit was sealed. And then he and Emily met again and were reunited after five thousand years. The pharaoh was her real father by blood in the past and he was still her father here." Her voice becomes stronger as she continues and adds, "And do you know what, Yugi and the pharaoh have done more for Emily than you ever could have and ever will!"

Robert couldn't believe what this specter was saying. "This is ridiculous! I am the only father Emily will ever have!"

"You are nothing!" Rachel yelled. "You'll never amount to Yugi or the pharaoh!" Her anger turns to sadness, but not because she's sorry for what she's saying, but because she feels sorry for her ex-husband. "I had faith that you would take care of Emily and be a good father, but now I wish you never had custody over her after I died."

"I'm the only family she has left and I how I take care of my daughter is my business alone."

"Well, you were irresponsible about it. You know, I was sorry for what you went through with your own family, but how your parents treated you shouldn't mean you can treat your wife and child the same way. But after today, you have no family left and you've no one to blame but yourself and you know it."

Robert was silent for a minute, then finally replied, "You're right. I failed as a son, I failed as a husband, and today, I failed as a father. But I still love her."

"I know," Rachel said softly. "And that's how you know you have to do what's best for her now. You know that she belongs with her real family now and it's time to let her go." It was time for Rachel to go too, but she had one last thing to say. "I love you, Robert. I always have. And Emily loves you too. Never forget that." And the specter fades into the darkness.

Robert looked around and found himself lying on the floor and the room became warm again. He wondered, was that a dream or was his ex-wife really here? Either way, he knew he had to do the right thing now. He had to embrace that Emily wasn't his daughter anymore and it was time to let her go.


	8. One Last Effort

One Last Effort

It was still the middle of the night, but Emily woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. It was her dad. She answered and said, "What's wrong? Is everything all right?"

On the other line, Robert asked, _"Emily, do you hate me and never want to see me again?"_

Sensing sadness and remorse in his tone, Emily replied, "No, I care about you and I don't want anything to happen to you."

 _"Don't worry about me. Just take care of yourself and say 'goodbye' to everyone for me."_

Now the blonde was starting to get concerned. She raised her voice and asked, "What are you saying!?"

 _"I'm done with everything. I've tried, but I've only ended up failing and I'm tired of it. But don't worry; I'll always be there for you."_

Then the receiver clicked and there was a tone. Ten minutes later, Emily received another phone call. It was a call from the police concerning her dad. A room service attendant came into Robert's hotel room and found him on the floor covered in blood and immediately called for a doctor. Hearing this, Emily quickly changed clothes and rushed to the hospital to find her dad.

She made it through the front door and stopped at the front desk. "Can you tell me if there's a Robert Briar here?"

The staff member looked through her computer. "He's on the third floor in room 318."

"Thank you," Emily said and headed for the stairs. When she finally made it to the third floor and saw the door to Robert's room, she tried to step inside, but the doctors wouldn't let her. "What happened to him!?" She demanded.

One doctor got up and pushed Emily outside. "You have to leave. I'm sorry."

She raised her voice and tried again. "What happened!?"

"There's nothing you can do now, just wait outside," the doctor said and closed the door.

As much as Emily wanted to know, she knew they weren't going to let her inside. She tried to wait it off by sleeping, but she couldn't stand not knowing what was going on. It was hard for her to stay awake too, so she nodded off to sleep.

Finally, a middle-aged doctor with dark facial hair and glasses gently nudged Emily's shoulder to get her attention. "Excuse me, miss," he softly called.

The blonde woke up and gave him his attention. "How is he?"

"He's resting now," the doctor replied. "Please don't take it the wrong way; what I mean is he's holding steady."

That was good news, but Emily had to ask one more time, "What happened to him?"

"The attendant who gave him room service said he took a knife and slit his wrist. He held him down so he could stop the bleeding as best as he could and when paramedics arrived, the poor man just lost consciousness. We stitched him up as soon as he got here."

"Oh, dear God," Emily gasped.

The doctor smiled and suggested, "Why don't you get some sleep and come back in the morning? We'll keep an eye on him." And with that, Emily left the hospital and went on her way home.

As promised, she returned early in the morning. Robert was still asleep in his bed, but Emily didn't mind waiting for him to wake up. To pass the time, she brought one of her books to keep herself occupied. About twenty minutes later, Robert started coming to his senses. "What happened," he muttered groggily.

Emily gasped and set her book down. "Oh, thank God you're awake. I was so afraid you wouldn't wake up."

"Emily?" Robert asked, his voice sounding clear. "What are you doing here?"

The blonde approached his bedside in tears. "Don't ever scare me like that again," she scolded. "I thought you were going to die."

"I thought I did," he joked. "I guess not." He could still feel the lingering pain from the medicine applied to his cut as well as the stitches.

"What could you have been thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking, Emily. I just did it. But really, I saw what a disappointment I was to my family. Last night, I had these visions. I saw my parents. They were disappointed in me for not becoming what they wanted me to be and for throwing my life away. They were also sorry for me because I deserved better than you and your mother and that you girls weren't fair to me. I saw your mom too. We were making amends saying how we've missed each other and how we wished we could have been better to each other. She admitted what she did was selfish when she took you and left me, but she confessed that she still loved me. She helped me to realize why you didn't feel safe around me and how I was always controlling. I was the way I was because I didn't want to lose you like I lost her. When I saw how disappointed everyone was in me, I saw myself as a failure as a son, a husband, and a father. I figured I could just end the pain by ending me."

Emily continued to cry as she was listening to him. "No," she sobbed. "You didn't fail me or Mom. You just didn't try."

"I did try, Emily," Robert protested. "But nothing I ever did would gain anyone's satisfaction or appreciation. I tried to always be there for you and your mom. But I was often pushed away. Every time I came to visit, your mom wouldn't talk to me or let me know how she was doing. I tried to help you when you came to live with me, but you were difficult to talk to, you didn't want to go for quality time, you never told me you were struggling."

Emily took a tissue and dried her eyes. "I was traumatized. I lost someone close to me and she was never coming back. In the state I was in, I really needed my mother for comfort and support. I was scared, lonely, I just wanted to go home; back to the life I once knew. I took my anger out on you and it was wrong of me to do so. It wasn't fair of me to blame you for something beyond either of our control."

Robert lifts his hand and touches Emily's face. "I know, Honey. I know that now. And it's okay."

"And you shouldn't think bad things about yourself just because a lot of bad things happened to you," continued Emily. "Your mind can really play tricks on you and it gets worse when you're mentally unhealthy."

"Speaking of that," Robert was saying, "I remember last night your mother said she agreed with your friends when they said I wasn't your real father. I don't understand."

Emily calmed down and stopped crying. "I can explain." She got up and locked the door. When she returned to the bedside, she confessed, "It's true; I already have a father. And I think it's time I told you about him and me and the other member of our family." Robert sat up and gave her his attention. Emily cleared her throat and began by saying, "It was five thousand years ago in Egypt. The kingdom was ruled and protected by a group of heroes who called themselves the Children of Millennia, so called because they were followers of the Great Goddess destined to fulfill her wishes and maintain peace and harmony. Two of her warriors were Egypt's leaders: King Atem and Queen Mystery. And I was their daughter."

Robert's eyes widened. "What?"

"You heard me," continued Emily. "I was born unto another family and lived another life in the past. After I was born, the ultimate battle between light and darkness broke out and the magic of the Shadow Games got out of control. Millennia's warriors were able to unite and use her power to save not only the kingdom, but the whole world. But the Egyptian kingdom was in ruin and no one could stay; not even me. So the pharaoh and queen sent me away to a new home where I could live long and have a future. Centuries later, I was reborn into this period as your daughter. And their wish came true; I can keep living on and have a future."

"I still don't understand," Robert told her.

"Please let me continue," Emily asked. "My friends and I are descendants of the Children of Millennia. Yugi is one of them. But before I get to him, let me go back a little. My father, the pharaoh, vowed that one day, we would all be reunited again. So he sealed his spirit within the Millennium Puzzle; a sacred object granted to him by the Great Goddess herself. When Yugi solved the Millennium Puzzle, he released my father's spirit and he and I were reunited after so long." Tears fill her eyes again. "But he's in a better place now with my mothers."

Everything was making sense to Robert now. "I... I never knew... just what happened," he said to himself. He spoke up and asked, "Why was I never told any of this?"

"I only found out myself after returning here to Domino. But I couldn't tell you about my life in ancient Egypt because my friends and I had enemies out to kill us and they would have harmed anyone who got in their way or protected us." Emily lets the tears flow again. "Please don't take this personally, but the pharaoh was the father I never had. He did so much for me in the past and he did more for me here."

"More that I ever could have, right?" Robert assumed.

"He was more than just a father to me," Emily was saying. "He was my friend. You never were."

Robert sighed. "Emily, a father isn't supposed to be a friend. It was only my job to teach you, provide for you. You would never have gotten anywhere if I just supported you all the way and let you have your way."

"Then I suppose I failed you as a daughter," Emily sobbed. "I'm sorry I couldn't become what you wanted me to be. But I didn't want to be like that. I wanted to follow my own heart. But when I tried sharing my dreams with you, teaching you all that made me who I was, you would laugh and scorn me, say that it wasn't good enough for you, and even tell me to grow up."

"I just wanted you to have a successful life, something worth living for, do what I couldn't."

"Well, it's not right to force your dreams on someone else or have me finish what you started when it's not what I want for myself." The blonde paused for a minute, then said, "But I am sorry for you. I'm sorry I was unfair to you when I was young. And I'm also sorry you didn't have a father like mine. But you were right. You'll always be my dad by blood. But so will the pharaoh."

Robert lowered himself to rest his back. "Why do you reach out to me?"

"To teach you what it means to love and to be loved," she answered. "You don't know anything about love, friendship, or faith. That's why I reach out to you. You can't just think about the bad. You have to believe that something good will come from every new day you face. You've been alone for so long that you're in desperate need of companionship and support no matter how much you say or think you don't need anything from anyone. And I want you to live long with whatever pride and dignity you have left in you because Mom wasn't able to. If you don't, you really will be remembered as a failure. If you don't want that, start making better choices in your life."

The old man sighed. "Well, this is my first choice: it's time for me to let you go. I have nothing left, Emily. But I guess if you and I keep living on, we'll always have each other. I'll live on for you if it will put you at ease. And after today, I know someday, I can die knowing I was loved. But I can't be selfish all the time. I can't be around you if it hurts you. It's not that I don't want to see you again. Believe me, I want us to stay in touch. But for your sake and mine, it has to be 'goodbye.'"

Emily agreed. "I can't be around you because I don't feel safe around you. But I can't neglect you either. I'll call to check up on you sometime."

"Me too," Robert promised. He sat up to hug Emily for one last time.

"Keep the faith that one day, you and Mom will be together again," the blonde pleaded. "Because I have faith that you will. I'm sorry for everything and I also forgive you for everything."

"So am I," Robert returned. "And I know we will too." When they finally let go, Emily approached the door, but before she walked outside, she looked at Robert with a smile and tears, letting him know she loves him. He returned the gesture. It hurts to say 'goodbye' because they know they'll never see each other again. But they'll still have each other.


End file.
